Works Minister Maria Bird-Browne has announced a significant escalation in the government’s efforts to address chronic flooding issues through comprehensive drainage maintenance and waterway rehabilitation. Speaking during the ongoing Budget Debate, the minister detailed how specialized crews are executing coordinated operations to clear blocked drains, remove accumulated silt, and mitigate flood risks in high-priority areas across the island.
The National Housing and Urban Renewal teams have been deployed as frontline responders in this initiative, performing essential services including regular garbage collection, bulk waste removal, and systematic drain cleaning. Minister Bird-Browne emphasized that these efforts constitute a fundamental component of her ministry’s environmental management mandate, directly contributing to both flood reduction and overall ecological improvement.
This drainage maintenance program forms part of a broader strategy to rectify longstanding infrastructural deficiencies that become particularly problematic during periods of heavy rainfall. The ministry has mobilized multiple specialized units—including beautification crews, waste-removal teams, and road-maintenance personnel—to simultaneously address silt accumulation and ensure water channels remain unobstructed.
Significantly, the minister connected these infrastructural efforts to the government’s larger environmental objectives, highlighting the ministry’s nursery and landscaping program that supplies plants to public buildings and new homeowners. This complementary initiative aims to enhance environmental friendliness, promote climate resilience through increased tree planting, and advance the beautification of communal spaces.
The drainage and maintenance operations are scheduled to continue throughout 2026 as part of a sustained push toward climate-resilient infrastructure. Minister Bird-Browne stressed that effective environmental management must be integrated with ongoing roadworks, building repairs, and public infrastructure reinforcement projects, especially given the increasing frequency of intense weather events.
While acknowledging previous criticisms regarding drainage inadequacies in certain communities, the minister maintained that government crews are actively delivering measurable results. She extended gratitude to ministry staff for their dedication in performing what she described as physically demanding and frequently overlooked work that remains essential for community safety and flood prevention.
The Budget Debate continues this week with ministerial responses to opposition critiques and detailed presentations of 2026 operational plans.